The impala's spirits
by Acop
Summary: AU for the Shtriga episode. Dean had to face the Shtriga to save Sam and now he is ... the impala? Rated M for serious injuries.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or his characters. While I did not think of it when I began this story, some of you may later on find a similarity between my concept of spirits and Rachel Aaron wonderful books serie "legend of Eli Montpress".

Author note: This is unbetaed even if I did check for errors, do not hesitate to tell me if some remained. This story is an AU so some things will be different from the TV show. I welcome constructive criticism and reviews :)

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Ten years old Dean was annoyed.

Dad had left Dean and Sammy in yet another motel while he went to hunt a Shtriga that was operating in the area. It was a really important job because this Shtriga went after young children, at the same period of time during 5 days every 25 years so Dad had to nail it quickly before it disappeared again.

But it had already been three days with no sign of Dad, no kid disappearance on the news, no more money left from Dad for food, Sammy had finished the all-brains this morning without even proposing some to Dean and had been whining how he was still hungry and Dean why don't you do something about it.

So Dean was annoyed. Even pissed if he admitted it to himself. Pissed at Dad for always underestimating how much things cost and how long he would be gone. Pissed at Sammy for not understanding why he shouldn't have eaten all the cereals for break-feast even if it wasn't his little brother fault as Dean tried hard to make sure Sammy didn't need to know that kind of things. He would almost be pissed at the world if it didn't lead to think about Mum and no thank you it hurt way too much to go there.

Still, Dean was pissed, and famished as all growing boys when they have not had anything since dinner the night before.

Dean wasn't sure about what to do. He had some cash in his emergency stash that he had won by doing some odd jobs like washing cars or mowing gardens when he could. He even won some by repairing the bike of a nice lady whom also gave him cookies for his pain. But he preferred to be careful with it, in case they needed it for something big, like medicine for Sammy when Dad wasn't there.

He knew he was still too young to safely try hustling pool without Dad, especially with the kind of men he had seen at the bar yesterday, but he had seen a baby-foot in the motel hall, and thought it might be enough for the day if he played his cards right and shopped carefully enough.

Decision made, he checked the protections of the room - he had checked them the night before but you never were too careful- strapped his knife to his leg, hidden by his faded jeans and checked that his pocket one was -as usual- in his pocket. Letting Sammy in front of the ninja turtles with a reminder not to open to anyone but Dad or himself, and only after getting the right password, that was met with a "I'm not a baby Deeeean", he rolled his eyes and went to tempt his luck.

2 hours later, Dean was feeling a lot better. He had managed to get some older kids as well as a few truckers with time to kill in several games and was now on his way to the groceries. He thought he had enough to treat Sammy and himself with some apple pie in addition of pasta for lunch, hamburgers for dinner and all-brains for breakfast tomorrow morning. By then, he hoped Dad would have wrapped up the case and they could all celebrate in a dinner with steaks and milkshakes. And before lunch, he would take the time to care for Baby and make her shine. Their father had rented a trunk for this hunt because the roads were hard and there was a big chance that the Shtriga's lair was deep in the woods. Even if Shtriga could take a human form during the day, it seemed they liked to have a cave of some sort to rest after a feeding. According to his father, Shtriga were vulnerable after having suck the life force from their prey and so they usually chose a place hidden well away from any habitations or well used roads. Anyway, it gave Dean the opportunity to apply what his father and Bobby had taught him about cars mechanics and maintenance and he loved to spend time on the impala.

The rest of the day went well, Sammy declaring his undying love for "Dean's bestest pastas in the world", both boys enjoying the pie and then settling down in front of some Disney cartoon. They also did some homework, with Dean teaching Sammy some more advanced maths because his little brother was bored in his class. While books could teach Sammy a lot -he devoured and memorised anything age appropriate and above that Dean could find him, be it history, biology, mythology, anything - he did better in maths with an actual teacher. The fact that sciences, and maths in particular, were Dean's best classes was just the icing on the cake.

They played Dean's survivor game, a kind of hide and seek where you had to defend yourself when you had been caught and that Dean had imagined to teach Sammy how to defend himself against monsters -both humans and non-humans- while protecting the kid's innocence. Dean usually had Sammy figure out which "monster" was seeking him and use the proper defense moves accordingly until he was satisfied, else DeanTheMonster would tickle his prey to death with no mercy.

At 9pm, Sammy was fast asleep in bed after a day well spent and a tummy full, and Dean was ... Restless.

He had checked the protections and redrawn some of them, he had cleaned the room from their afternoon game and dinner, but now that it was time to sleep, his mind was giving him ideas he shouldnt have.

After spending on the groceries and putting some cash in his emergency stash, Dean still had a few coins he could spend as he wished. There were some arcade games near the babyfoot that had been calling to him like sirens since they had arrived almost 4 days ago and Dad still wasnt here and as much as he loved Sammy, a guy had the right to have some fun time on his own, right?

After trying to watch the TV - quietly not to wake his brother - with no success as none of the shows managed to hold his attention away from the games he could be playing, Dean finally cave in and went to the games, but only after leaving a note to Sammy in case he woke up and carefully locking the door -Sammy had a spare in case of fire and for others dangers, they had made him a secret hideout in the rooms like they always Dean when they first moved in a new place.

Dean was hurrying quietly toward the motel. The games were a blast, and the owner had been nice enough to offer him a few free rounds as there were not many customers that night. Which meant it was way past the time he should have been back, and he had only realised it because the owner had kindly asked him if his parents would not be waiting for him as it was nearing midnight.

Still, Dean was very happy with his evening, he had even found a beautifully carved and still working lighter in the games, when he had to look for a coin that had slipped from his fingers in his haste to play. It was a nice addition to his pocket knife and leg-knife, as Dad thought he was still a little young to have a flame-thrower of his own. Dean had argued that he used fire and gas daily to cook but Dad had stood firm on this point. Still, he was sure he would have his own gun for his next birthday, as he almost never missed a target during training any more.

Quietly opening their room's door, for once hoping his father wasn't there yet, Dean froze in his tracks. Some old white ugly women was standing over Sammy's bed, and Dean was pretty sure it was THE Shtriga his father was looking for. The creature slowly turned its head toward Dean, looking at him, evaluating him then dismissing him in what felt an eternity. It then turned back to Sammy, who still appeared to be asleep, and Dean knew with deep certainty that he had only one move before it took his little brother by the open window.

"Protect Sammy" had been Dean's default mode since the night he had seen Mum on fire on the ceiling and been given his little brother to protect afterwards. It had also been his sole reason to move through the fog of his hurt: protect Sammy, feed Sammy, diaper change Sammy, take care of Sammy. In these days, Sammy and the familiar rumble of the impala's engine while his Dad drove from state to state, looking for answers, had been the only things that made Dean feel something else than the loss of Mum. So he just jumped on the threat to his brother while taking the lighter from his pocket. Dean landed on the thing and crouched his legs to hold on to it, one hand taking hold of its hair to try and maintain his equilibrium as he put the flame on it with his other hand while praying to whatever deity who was out there that it would be enough to make it go away, or better that Dad would arrive right now.

The fire seemed to work as the Shtriga was now shrieking and trying to shake of Dean from itself. Dean was dimly aware that his arm had been ripped by some kind of claw but he concentrated on maintaining the flame on any part of the thing. Suddenly, he felt himself being thrown through the air. And his back was in pain, so much that it was hard to breath. Dean felt his consciousness slip, but he thought he heard Sammy calling for him... Dean managed to turn his head to see his little brother flat on the floor, shouting at him with tears on his face. And above Sammy was his Dad, finishing the damn Shtriga with a flame-thrower.

Dad here, Dean vaguely thought he could black out and knew no more.


	2. Chapter 2

"Honey, you need to wake up, you can not stay here long."

His Mum was talking to him. He was dreaming a good dream then, except it would be horrible when he woke up.

"My little Angel, we don't have much time, I really need you to wake up so I can explain things to you. You have a choice to make but the opportunity window is very short."

Mum was sounding really serious and almost afraid, like the time he had jumped in the swimming pool for the grown up without knowing how to swim. Dean still remembered the spanking he had gotten for it.

He reluctantly decided to open his eyes and saw he was sitting with his mum in a garden that looked a lot like their old one, according to his fuzzy memories. She was as he always remembered her in his dreams, same blue dress with white flowers, her hair flowing freely on her shoulders, except she was watching him with a worried expression instead of her usual smile.

Dean frown, unsure of what to do as his dream differed from his usual scenario.

"Honey, I'm so sorry but I have to rush you if we want to have a hope of making this work." Mum said."The Shtriga hurt you badly and right now we don't know if you're going to make it."

Dean looked at her, trying to make sense of her words. He remembered now the pain he had felt as he watched his father kill the thing and Sammy crying...

" Is Sammy okay?" he asked, thinking his Mum would have told him if not, but you never were so sure with adults. After all, she had been ... gone for some time now, it might have changed her somehow, like how the nicest person in the world could become the nastier ghost in town he was sure he would never understand.

She smiled lovingly at him, worry fading briefly from her face.

"Your brother doesn't even have a scratch thanks to you. But we need to focus on you right now Dean. Your body is failing because it is broken in too many places and in too much pain. We hope that by removing you from it and from feeling the pain, your body will be able to heal to a point."

Dean was really lost by now.

" I don't understand Mum, how would you remove me from my body without killing me and why do you keep saying we?"

His Mum sight.

"I'm sorry Dean, it's complicated and we have so little time. I will explain as well a I can. As you have a soul, objects and plants have spirits. An object spirit can be more or less awake, depending on the person using it and on the attention it has received. For example, a teddy bear spirit in a shop-mall is usually asleep. But if the teddy bear is bought and a child sleep with it, play with it, keep it close, its spirit will awaken and it will be especially aware when the child is around. And at time, the teddy might help the child, for example by breaking his fall."

Dean was frowning by then. It was quite the amazing story and were it not for his Mum telling him, he would have dismissed it right away. Besides, the bear breaking the kid fall sounded more like dumb luck and he told his Mum so.

She smiled sadly at him and said:" Luck is often made by your own actions Dean, you just don't know it."

" Are you saying that if the kid was mean to it, like always throwing him on the ground, the teddy could make him trip?" asked Dean, a little intrigued despite himself.

His Mum smiled again.

"In theory yes, the teddy could. However, I'm not sure objects spirits have a concept of revenge, it is so much more a human thing."

Dean frowned as he did not see how the teddy could both want to help a good owner and not want to get revenge on a bad one, as for him it was the same kind of feelings and you could not have one without the other.

Still not convinced by the spirit thing, Dean decided to accept it for the time being and for the sake of learning how it led to him being outside of his body.

" I don't see how it helps with my dying or anything", he said a little defiantly as the reality of his possible death began to sink in .

His mother smiled again.

"I'm coming to it. There is an object's spirit that is close to you and very much awake. As a matter of fact, it and you would object to me calling it a mere object. The impala, or Baby as you call her care very much about our family and you in particular. When I asked, she accepted to bond her spirit to you so you could switch bodies."

Dean looked at his Mum, aghast.

"I don't understand, I will become Baby and she will become me? How does it help? How do you know I wont cause an accident which will kill Sammy because I don't know how to be a car? And what of Baby, you said my body hurt too much, will she be in pain?"

By now, Dean was standing in full rant, really not comprehending what good his Mum proposition would put a hand on his shoulder to stop him and sit him back down. She sighed, putting a hand through her hair.

"Dean, I am explaining as well and as quickly as I can but it is not easy. Baby wont really feel your pain because object's spirit do not know pain as humans or animals or even plants do. She should be able to keep it from preventing your body to heal. And she will teach you how to become a car. You should be able to understand each other thanks to the bond. And in time, when your body is healed enough, you will be able to switch bodies again."

Still not convinced and only listening because she was his mother, Dean was insure about what to do. And what to think. He couldn't believe the Shtriga had injured him so badly that he might die. He couldn't believe the impala was sort of conscious even if that was the most believable in this story. And he couldn't believe he needed to become a car to heal, and that the impala would accept such a sacrifice, what with feeling his pain and all... He didn't understand how the pain could prevent his body from healing either.

His Mum was watching him carefully, obviously looking for signs that he believed her. She sighed again.

"Dean, our time is coming up. You have to decide now, take the chance to remain in you body and surely die or at least be in a lot of pain and not be able to do anything about it, or take a leap of faith and bond with the impala to switch body."

He looked at her, almost ready to tell her that know, he was not going to go through with this madness, when she stood up to kneel in front of him, taking his hands in hers. She looked into bis eyes and asked:

"Please Angel, will you trust me? I saw how you were, I don't think you will survive this alone. What will Sammy do without you? Please Dean, bond with the impala, I promise she will take good care of you and you wont regret it baby."

His resolve wavering looking into his Mum's eyes and hearing her plea, thinking about Sammy and all the things Dean needed to do for him when their father was away, Dean found himself agreeing to the bond.


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as the words left his lips, Dean found himself in front of the impala, his mother nowhere to be seen. Baby did look awake, almost as if she were looking at him and smiling, but it couldn't be right, could it?

"Hello Dean"

He couldn't help it, he jumped, his hand going for his pocket knife that wasn't here. Breathing deeply, he looked at Baby. She had to be the one who had talked, the voice had sounded almost like the purring of her engine. Well, she had not really talked, more like her engines had rumbled and he had heard or rather felt the word hello in his head.

To his amazement, the impala gently made her wheels turn back and forth.

"We need to form the bond quickly, are you ready?"

Again, he felt the words in his head, underlined with a felling of protectiveness and urgency. This bond story was becoming more and more believable far too quickly and it scared him almost as badly as leaving Sammy on his own. Taking a deep breath and stilling himself, Dean nodded.

"All right, it will be a bit disconcerting at first as you may see some of my memories and as I will directly put you back to my receptacle when the bonding is done. "

Dean felt a sharp tug and suddenly, he was at their old house, though it looked a little off. He was watching a younger Dean from an odd angle, but the colours or the dimensions or something were off, like they were with the house. This little human was busy petting his hood, muttering nonsense like beautiful baby, good baby, you're baby like Sammy. He heard his Dad laugh and saw him watching his younger self with a smile, one arm around his very pregnant Mum. Weirdly, he knew that his Mum was pregnant with Sammy but in the meantime he felt puzzled by the strange form of this female.

The scene shifted and he was on the road, speeding past the normal limits. "Deep breath Mummy, deep breath he heard himself saying. " It looked like Sammy was coming into this world but why was he feeling so intrigued about it?

Another shift, it was so warm outside. He was parked near a house in fire. His little human - Dean he reminded himself, those names were so hard to remember but he liked the name Dean had given him, Baby - was sitting against him, saying again and again "Daddy and Mummy will be here soon Sammy, you'll see, it will be okay, I'm here ". Dean felt again the gut wrenching pain of that night, seeing his mother on fire and catching the sight of something in a corner of the room before his father gave him Sammy to protect, seeing himself assuring Sammy that everything would be all right when he had known deep down that their lives would never be the same.

Another shift and thankfully, he was on a road again. "Dean, do something and make your brother stop crying for god's sake" his father yelled, above Sammy's cries. Dean felt movement in his back-seats, the cries softened then stopped. He wondered about his irritation at his father yelling and the surge of protectiveness he felt towards his younger self.

Another shift, and he was parked in uncle Bobby's backyard. A younger Dean was here with Bobby, learning to take care of Baby. Dean smiled to himself. Bobby had been a blessing after his mother death. His Dad had found Bobby a few months after the fire. He had heard that Bobby was a monsters expert and had asked for a crash course on them. They remained with Bobby several months as he taught Dad what he felt was the minimum for his boys and his own survival if he began to hunt. They remained with Bobby when his Dad began to hunt. In the meantime, Dean learned how to ward a room against monsters and how to take care of Baby. It was at Bobby's that Dean began to talk again, having been mute since the fire no matter what his father tried. Since that time, when his Dad knew a hunt would last more than a week, he usually left the boys to their uncle Bobby, to their great delight. Dean also had the foreign feeling of loving being in the backyard, surrounded by other cars and ... communicating with some of them?

Lost in his thoughts, Dean suddenly felt like a ton of bricks had fallen on him and blacked out.

When Dean regained consciousness, he was a car. That was disturbing, feeling wheels instead of arms being one of the most notable .

Thankfully Baby had been waiting for him and immediately began to teach him the basis of being an awaken car. She explained how to be passive and let the driver and passengers use the impala's functions without Dean reacting or preventing them to. She also explained how Dean could control the car even if there was a driver. Most wonderful of all, she showed him how to put the radio on, quietly enough that only Dean would be able to hear it. And finally, she explained to him how to be aware of his surroundings, even though he did not have eyes or ears per se.

It was weird and the most difficult for Dean, as he needed to learn to rely on different senses to get the same informations as with eyes and ears. Also, Baby had troubles helping him because she didn't know what if felt like to have eyes. What intrigued Dean the most was that Baby understood when humans talked even if one, she didn't have ears, and two, well, she was a car. Baby told him that she had not always heard and understood when humans talked. It was a little fuzzy for her because she had not been fully awaken at that time, but she thought she had begun to hear humans when one of her owner had began to talk to her like Dean did. It had taken her some time to understand what he said, but the more he talked to her, the better she understood him, the more she was awaken and the better she noticed her surroundings until she understood humans around her and was able to feel/see all around her too.

Thankfully - or not depending on how you looked at it - they had several days to practice without any interruption. Dean did not dare ask the impala in what shape his real body was. The fact that the switch worked and that his family wasn't on the move yet drove home that he could really die, and then who knew what would happen: would he die and be able to join his Mum, or die and who knew, or be stuck as the impala while Baby's spirit went wherever spirits go when their object is destroyed?

Dean tried not to dwell too much on this, which was easy as Baby was working him hard to shape him in a good car, and she never said anything about his body or his family. They used the cover of night so that Dean could get used to the feeling of the road, and also learn to drive himself without difficulties. Parallel parking was hard for Dean until he really managed to keep his feeling of his surroundings while manoeuvring.

It was a little weird for Dean as he both felt his surroundings while still seeing and hearing them some way, meaning he could see in front of him while still feeling what was behind him. If felt as if he was more aware than in the impala's memory and more aware than when he had been in his own body. Also, what he saw wasn't distorted like it had been in Baby's memory whereas what he felt looked distorted like in her memories. It confused him but when asked, Baby told him that it was probably due to the bond and switch but she couldn't be sure as she knew very little about these things.

Dean asked her once how she happened to see his Mum and agree to this bond, but her answer left him confused again. She had seen him go in an ambulance, then his father had driven the impala to the hospital with Sammy in the back-seat. His father and Sammy had both gone in the hospital then, hours later, his Dad had come back to the impala alone. He had phoned Bobby to tell him about him, to tell him that Dean might die. That is when Baby had felt that it was not possible, that her Dean could not die now without having driving her and all at once, a woman's spirit was talking to her, asking what she was willing to do to save Dean.

It made no sense to Dean, how his Mum had known what the impala felt, how she had been able to reach to her. The whole thing made no sense so he concentrated on improving his car ability.

When Sammy and Dad and... his body finally made it into the impala, Dean was ready to be a good car and take care of them as much as he could.


	4. Chapter 4

Sammy was 6 years old and he was lost. He was lost because he had woken up 3 weeks ago to the screams of a monster .

Yes, monsters were real and his father had known about it. Dean had known about it. Dean had been on the back of the monster, burning it. And then Dean had flown through the room, and there had been a crack... A horrible crack. And then Sammy wasn't too sure, but he had crawled down on the floor to get to his brother, Dad had been here to take care of the monster, and Dean had looked at him before closing his eyes, not responding to Sammy. Dean always responded to Sammy. Dean was always there for Sammy. Except that Dean wasn't here any-more and it hurt.

According to Dad, Dean was still here. As he had been incapacitated by the monster, Dean had to spend a lot of time with doctors to get better. Even then, Dean hurt a lot so they had to give him drugs that made him sleep all the time. After the first week, the doctors came to speak to Dad. When Dad came back, his eyes were red. He explained to Sammy that Dean was still badly hurt but that he would survive. Sammy had looked at his father not understanding, because of course Dean would survive because he was Dean and because Sammy needed Dean. But his father said that while Dean would survive, it would be very difficult and a long time to recovery. His Dad said that right now, Dean couldn't move any part of his body, that he couldn't even speak and barely opened his eyes. Dad said that it would take time for Dean's body to heal enough that he would not be in so much pain and not need so many drugs. Dad said that it could be months before Dean would be able to talk to them again.

At first, Sammy hadn't believed him but when he was authorised to see Dean in his hospital room, he was shocked to the core. Dean didn't move. Dean didn't make a single joke. Dean didn't speak. Dean did not even ruffle Sammy's hair to annoy him, even if it didn't really bother Sammy when Dean did it, except when he was with his friends and then it was embarrassing. Like Dad had said, Dean didn't do anything except open his eyes from time to time. But more importantly, Dean didn't feel like Dean any-more.

Sammy couldn't explain it well, but each person he knew had their own feel. The more he knew the person, the better Sammy could feel them. That's why he sometimes knew his Dad was back from a job before seeing him. Dean was the person Sammy knew the best, because Dean was Sammy's world. He knew every nuances of Dean and could find him just by following his feel as long as Dean wasn't too far away. And Dean definitely did not feel like Dean any-more.

Dad had told Sammy that Dean was still Dean, that he was feeling this way because of the shock of all that had happened and of all he had learned since then. Dad had hugged him and told him that he just needed time to accept what had happened to Dean and how it had happened. But Sammy knew better. After all, Sammy had never told anyone about his secret power as he named it. He had mentioned it once or twice when he was younger but quickly understood other people couldn't feel like he did - even if it sometimes seemed like Dean could but only where it concerned Sammy- and had kept it quiet after this. Still, now knowing that monsters existed, he tried to tell his Dad a few times that Dean felt different. His dad finally yelled at him that the situation was hard enough without Samuel acting out and knowing better than to push it, Sammy resolved to watch this not-Dean carefully.

Here he was, 3 weeks after that night, lost and waiting for his father to get Dean from his rooms. They were going to Bobby's. After his father had told him that Dean would survive, he had disappeared several hours. When he came back, he promised Sammy that things would change, that he would protect them better, that he would be there for them. He promised that they would take good care of not-Dean until he was better. He promised that Sammy would be able to go to one unique school and make friends without worrying about their next move. His father had looked no better than Sammy felt, and it had made him wish for Dean and felt even more lost.

During the last 2 weeks, he had seen not-Dean a few times and it was always the same. Sammy would sit awkwardly near his not-brother, Dad would try and fail to make small talk to not-Dean, they would sit in silence, Sammy growing more and more uncomfortable until visit time was finally over. During these times, not-Dean would sometimes open his eyes, his face blank and never truly looking at them, and being all so wrong that Sammy didn't understand how Dad couldn't see that Dean wasn't here any-more.

His father finally arrived with not-Dean in a wheelchair. Dad looked better than he had in 3 weeks, the relief of being able to move to a safe-heaven with both of his sons showing through the tiredness. Sammy was also relieved to get moving, because he was certain that uncle Bobby would be able to see that not-Dean wasn't Dean and would know what to do to make Dad see it too and finally they would work on finding Dean again.

Indeed, uncle Bobby always knew when Sammy needed a hug when he missed his father and Dean was busy and Sammy was trying to be a big boy and not always run to his brother for help as some of the kids in his class had sneered. Even if they were just jealous that they didn't have a Dean for themselves, Sammy knew he should try to be more independent now that he was six and, according to Dean, a big boy. But it was hard to remember it when Dean was often there without Sammy needing to call out for him.

Biting his lips as a surge of longing for his brother nearly overwhelmed him, Sammy focused on following his father. Silently, they made their way to the impala. Sammy quietly got into his seat while his Dad installed not-Dean. His father put the key into the ignition, the engine roared and suddenly, Sammy forgot how to breath: Dean was here.


	5. Chapter 5

At first, Sammy wondered if the hospital had somehow blocked his special sense. But he had still been able to feel his father as well as the nurses he saw regularly, albeit to a lesser extent.

So maybe it was not the hospital itself but the drugs they gave Dean... No, Sammy quickly discarded the idea as Dean was still drugged now.

The only explanation left was that Dean had been so close to death that Sammy had not been able to feel him. But now he was better, as he had been released from the hospital, and Sammy could feel him again.

Overjoyed at having his brother back, Sammy reached toward Dean with his special sense to feel him fully and froze inside. Dean was still not-Dean. Dean's feeling did not come from where his body was seating. Instead, he was all around Sammy. Dean had never felt like this to Sammy before, even when he had hugged him and Sammy had known he was in the safest place in the world.

Sammy did not know what to think. He really did not like this feeling and had experienced it far too much lately. Usually, when he was perplexed or unsure about something, he went to Dean. Dean always knew how to explain things in a way that made sense. The few time his older brother could not come up with an explanation, they either did research until it made sense or Dean told him that some things in life were just not meant to be understood, that they had done their best then gave him a hug.

So right now he was stuck with nobody to help him, as there was no way he would tell Dad that he could feel Dean but not where he should, especially after Dad did non believe him the first times. Sammy really tried very hard to find an explanation, even trying to think like Dean, but to no avail. His mind was blank. Sammy did not know if he should cry because Dean was still not in his body or if he should be grateful to be able to feel him at all.

The kilometers went by, his father driving as fast as he dared but not too fast in fear of hurting not-Dean. Sammy had -for the moment- renounced to understanding how Dean was here without being not-Dean and basked in the happiness of once more feeling his brother's presence after weeks without it. They were almost at Uncle Bobby's when it hit him.

His father had told him of the family business when he had tried to explain the Shtriga and he had mentioned several others supernatural creatures, but Sammy had not really cared at that point as Dean had been with the doctors. Still, He seemed to remember that ghosts had been on the list. Sammy was not too sure how you could be a ghost while your body still lived - and why wouldn't Dean show himself to Sammy if he were? Well, with the family business, he might have been afraid that Sammy would try to end him or something but he was Dean so even as a ghost, he would not hurt Sammy so no problem there- but how else could he feel Dean without his brother being here?

Sammy decided he would research ghosts at Uncle Bobby's. After all, his uncle and his Dad would expect him to ask a lot of questions as he could not pester Dean about it - how he longed for his brother to be here ... but he needed to focus- so focusing on ghosts should not be a problem.

Finally satisfied; Sammy made himself comfortable in his backseat, waiting patiently for their journey end.

* * *

Being a car was really weird. Even after all his training with Baby, Dean could not help but be surprised the first time he transported his family. First, he had nearly slammed back his door shut when Dad had opened it. Then, his back had felt weird with Sammy and his body in their seats, almost like an itch he could not scratch, and it took a while to get used to it. But the worst part was letting his Dad drive him. Even if he was not driving as fast as usual, Dean had a few panic times when they barely avoided a trunk and he even had to take control a few seconds in a slide to avoid a catastrophe. Clearly Dad was exhausted so Dean focused on keeping them safe.

After several hours of driving almost without a stop, he deduced they were going to Uncle Bobby. Dean was elated because he knew he could count on him to take care of Sammy and Dad. With luck, they would remain here several weeks and Dean would be able to try to make it back to his body. After all, it could not take more than a few months for a body to heal, right?


	6. Chapter 6

Two months later, Sam was sitting on the impala's hood, concerned and frustrated. Life at Bobby's was great, he liked his new school, Dad never went away more than a day and Sam had begun studying supernatural creatures and lore which was fascinating.

But... he missed Dean so much...

And Dean was confusing these days. Sam had read all he could find on spirits, ghosts, Gjenganger, yidag and every other name ghosts can take on other cultures. Nothing explained why Dean now was in the impala instead of his body. some books described ways of contacting a ghost but Bobby had given Sam à lecture about the danger of calling for the dead, how it could go wrong and in the best case kill the caller. He had also insisted there were no good spirit or ghost. Sam knew he might have to call for Dean anyway but for now he wanted to try and find other options.

But he had gone over everything he could think about today with no luck.

And two days ago, not-dean had had an attack. Sam had been at school but when he had come back, Dean had not been un his usual armchair. Dad had explained Dean had convulsed and shouted and cried during several minutes before losing consciousness. He had woken up hours later, wearing the blank expression that was now his. Dad had said the crisis was à good sign because it meant Dean was healing. Sam was not so sure because Dean was still in the impala.

So now he was brooding on the impala.

Sam had not understood why Dean was so often sweet talking the impala or why he called it baby. However, now that Dean's presence was in it, it brought immense comfort to Sam. He sometimes wondered if Dean had also felt someone's presence in the impala. But who could be named baby?

Sam sighed. He felt as if it was the only things he did these days when he was not busy with school or learning about the supernatural.

* * *

Dean was brooding.

He had attempted to return into his body for the first time two days ago and was still reeling from the memory of pain so intense he had blacked out several hours.

He had not believed Baby when she had told him it would take years for him to go back to normal. Even after hearing Dad and Bobby talking about his long and uncertain recovery, he had not believed it.

Going back toward his body had been easy, even instinctive. Dean had let himself drift following the invisible link he knew led to his body. At first, he had gone quietly then faster and faster. All at once, he had felt pain. All over him, with enough intensity it was uncomfortable but not unbearable. But it grew worse and worse until he was shouting and crying words he did not remember. He felt Baby on the edge of his consciousness but the pain was all he could think about until there was blackness and oblivion.

When he came to, Baby was patiently waiting for him. She explained again he had to be patient. She did not scold him for trying to go back to his body when she had warned him not to. She only gave him a huge hug, warm and comprehensive and loving. A hug almost like those that Mum gave before...

Anyway, Dean was now chewing over the acceptation he would remain in the impala several years if not forever. He buried his fear of never being human again and focused on the ways he could improve his protection of Sammy.

Right now, Dean could only protect his brother when he was in or near the impala. Dean drove Sammy to and back from school even if dad was sitting in the driver seat. After two near misses, Dean did not let the car control to Dad when Sammy was in it. Their Dad was tired because of his research for Dean in addition of his other duties plus taking care of Sammy without his older son but Sammy safety came first.

Dean was pleased because Sammy was spending à lot of his free time neart he impala, either on the hood or against one of its tire. Sammy was also taking great care of keeping the car clean and Dean enjoyed these rubbing sessions.

Back to the problem at hand: how could Dean protection Sammy when he was not near the impala?

"Sammy!"

Dean felt his brother start at Bobby's holler.

"Yes uncle Bobby?"

"Time for your lesson. We are doing werewolves today. Can't have you focusing only on ghosts and spirits right?"

Dean almost gave a wheel turn. Spirits of course! He needed to learn to interact with the world with his spirit. To project himself outside of the car but without going into his body... and then to physically affect the world...

Piece of cake right?

Dean sighed and called for Baby to help put his project into form.


End file.
